Outdoor Activities - Honolulu, Waikiki and Oahu - page 235

Time to book one of the seven semiprivate and resort courses they handle and get a guaran-
teed tee time for the next day at up to a 30% discount.
TheBus does not allow golf bags onboard. If you don't have another means of transporta-
tion, you're going to have to rent clubs at the course.
Waikiki
AlaWaiMunicipalGolfCourse Guinness World Records lists Ala Wai as the busiest golf course
in the world; some 500 rounds a day are played on the 18-hole municipal course within
walking distance of Waikiki's hotels. For years, we've held of recommending this par-70,
6,020-yard course because it was so busy (the tee times taken by local retirees), but a scandal
involving telephone company employees tapping into the tee-time reservation system to get
tee times for themselves and their friends has shaken up the old system, and visitors now have
a better chance of playing here. It still is a challenge to get a tee time, and the computerized tee
reservations system for all of Oahu's municipal courses will allow you to book only 3 days in
advance, but keep trying. Ala Wai basically is a flat layout, bordered by the Ala Wai Canal on
one side and the Manoa-Palolo Stream on the other. It's less windy than most Oahu courses,
but pay attention to the 372-yard, par-4 1st hole, which demands a straight and long shot to
the very tiny green. If you miss, you can make it up on the 478-yard, par-5 10th hole—the
green is reachable in two, so with a two-putt, a birdie is within reach.
404 Kapahulu Ave., Waikiki. & 808/733-7387 (golf course) or 808/296-2000 tee-time reservations.
www.co.honolulu.hi.us/des/golf/alawai.htm. Greens fees: $46; twilight half-price; cart $20. From Waikiki turn left on Ka-
pahulu Ave.; the course is on the mauka side of Ala Wai Canal. Bus: 13, 19, 20, or 22.
East Oahu
HawaiiKaiGolfCourse This is actually two golf courses in one. The par-72, 6,222-yard Hawaii
KaiChampionshipGolfCourse is moderately challenging, with scenic vistas. The course is
forgiving to high-handicap golfers, although it does have a few surprises. The par-3 Hawaii
KaiExecutiveGolfCourse is fun for beginners and those just getting back in the game after a
few years. The course has lots of hills and valleys, with no water hazards and only a few sand
traps. Lockers are available.
8902 Kalanianaole Hwy., Honolulu. & 808/395-2358. www.hawaiikaigolf.com . Greens fees: Championship Course $100
Mon-Fri, $110 Sat-Sun, twilight rates $70; Executive Course $39 Mon-Fri, $44 Sat-Sun. Take H-1 east past Hawaii Kai;
it's immediately past Sandy Beach on the left. Bus: 23.
Avoiding the Crowds & Saving Money
Oahu's golf courses tend to be crowded, so we suggest that you go during midweek. Also,
most island courses have twilight rates with substantial discounts if you're willing to tee off in
the afternoon, usually between 1 and 3pm. Look for this feature in the golf listings that follow.